Fiddling with the Past and the Future
by Teddylonglong
Summary: After losing the battle against Voldemort, Death sends Harry back in time with a special instruction. Will Harry succeed in changing things for the better? Completely AU, partly OOC, time travel, perhaps even time paradox.
1. Chapter 1

**Fiddling with the Past and the Future  
** **by Teddylonglong**

 _All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
_ _I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

 **COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC! Time paradox!**

 _It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, don't read it.  
_ _Reviews are very welcome, as they inspire my muse._

* * *

 **Prologue**

Sixteen-year-old Harry Potter stared at the curse that speedily travelled towards his fiancée, Hermione Granger, in shock. There was no way that he could prevent her fate by any means. He felt as if the world was coming to an end, as he observed her succumb to the curse.

"You bastard!" he shouted at Voldemort in absolute rage, who had already made use of the idle moment to send another killing curse in Harry's direction.

HP

By the time Harry's mind turned back to reality, he found himself in a small, very simple room, sitting on a dark, wooden bench. Before him, a person completely clothed in black was standing, staring at him in clear disdain. He did not have eyes though. Harry could only see holes. _'How is he able to see at all? Is he a Death Eater?'_ he wondered, however, was not able to further linger on his questions. Before he could get a clue or do as much as pull his wand, the person in front of him spoke up, sounding bored.

"Well, well, you managed to get yourself killed."

Harry shrugged. He did not feel in any way uncomfortable, and he recalled that Voldemort had just killed Hermione in front of his eyes. "Where are we?" he simply enquired.

"We're at my place" was the unsatisfying response.

"Who are you?" Harry then wanted to know.

"Death," his conversation partner informed him.

Harry stared at the figure in front of him for a moment, before realisation set in. _'Oh of course, that makes sense. I'm dead, so I'm talking to Death. Maybe he's something like the devil. Honestly, I expected to be able to advance to heaven to see Mum, Dad, Sirius and Hermione, but it seems as if I had ended up in hell. Oh well.'_ He let out a long sigh, when Death began to speak again.

"As the Master of Death, you're not able to die," he informed him.

"Master of Death?" Harry enquired, frowning.

"You're the owner of the Deathly Hallows, which makes you the Master of Death. You inherited the cloak from your father and the Elder Wand as well as the ring with the Resurrection stone from Albus Dumbledore, when he passed over to his next great adventure," Death explained.

Harry stared at the man in disbelief.

"Anyway, what do you want me to do?" Death suddenly enquired. "Do you want me to send you back to where you just came from?"

 _'What else?'_ Harry wondered, staring at Death in confusion.

"What else?" Death repeated his unasked question, before revealing that he could as well send him to a different place on the earth or - if Harry preferred it - to a different time, past or future, whatever he wanted.

"Oh then maybe I should go back as far as to save Severus Snape. He saved my life multiple times," Harry blurted out, wondering if that was possible at all.

Death merely stared at him, his face blank without any emotion whatsoever.

"Oh wait." An idea suddenly crossed Harry's mind. "I could even go and save Sirius."

"You could," Death agreed, sounding bored.

"But then I'd have to destroy all the Horcruxes again," Harry mused aloud. "Excuse me sir…"

"I'm not a sir. I'm Death," Death interrupted him, impatiently.

"All right, err, sorry, would it be possible to go back as far as to save my parents?" Harry asked, slowly becoming excited upon pondering his options.

Of course," Death replied, sighing. "You can go one thousand years into the past or the future if that's what you want."

"Oh okay." Harry remained pensive for a moment, before he spoke up again. "I should go to a time before Voldemort made his Horcruxes then."

"You could kill him as a baby," Death suggested.

"Oh no, I wouldn't be able to kill a baby," Harry blurted out, horrified.

"Ahhh, you're my death," Death replied, growling. "Maybe I should send you to the time of Merlin then, so that you can completely fiddle with the past and the future. Oh well, I'm not going to give you a choice anymore. Close your eyes if you don't want to get very sick during the travel. I shall speak with Fate, and she'll arrange everything for you. Look out for her when you arrive, and I tell you something. Don't come back to me soon. You're totally unnerving."

"Yes," Harry merely replied in confusion, when he already sensed the movement to begin and hurriedly closed his eyes. "Bye Death and thanks for whatever you arranged for me," he uttered as an afterthought, his thoughts going haywire upon realising that he did not even have the slightest clue about the arrangements.

 _tbc?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Fiddling with the Past and the Future  
** **by Teddylonglong**

When Harry felt the movement become slower and finally stop, he curiously opened his eyes and glanced around. He found himself in an almost empty street. Apart from himself, there was a lady in a long, white one-piece. Harry could not decide if she was floating or standing next to him.

"Hi," he uttered, shyly.

"Hello Harry," the lady replied and explained, "I'm Fate. Death sent me to arrange everything for you and help to get you onto your way."

"Where am I?" Harry queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"You're in a small side street of Diagon Alley," Fate replied, grinning.

"All right, and who am I in this time?" Harry enquired.

"You're Harry Potter. There's no need to change your name, neither your appearance," Fate informed him and admitted that she had slightly changed the genealogy of the Potter and Gaunt families to insert Harry as the oldest cousin of his own great grandfather Henry. "This way, you're the heir of the Peverell family and even in this time the owner of the Deathly Hallows, and as I set your mother to be Eileen Hufflepuff, you're still the heir of all four Founders of Hogwarts, just like you were in the future through both of your parents," she explained, before she began to give him instructions.

"Go to Gringotts and speak with Backfish. He's your account manager and will help you gain access to your inheritance as well as your task in this time. He should also be able to introduce you to the current headmaster of Hogwarts," she added, causing Harry to give her a hopeful look.

 _'Oh well, at least Hogwarts I know,'_ he mused. _'I wonder if Dumbledore is the headmaster in this time.'_

"Can you at least tell me the year we're in?" he asked in desperation of getting to know about his new life.

"It's the twentieth of December, 1932," Fate informed him, before she bade him good-bye and took her leave.

 _'What now?'_ Harry wondered, fingering for his main wand as well as the Elder wand, noticing in relief that both were still in his wand holders attached to both arms. _'Oh well, I guess it's Gringotts then first,'_ he recalled his instruction and made his way to the more frequented parts of the magical shopping street.

Entering Gringotts, Harry demanded to see Backfish, glad that the goblin could not only make time for him right away, but also seemed to be aware of his situation. _'Thank Merlin Fate seems to have done good work,'_ he thought, as he slowly relaxed during his conversation with Backfish.

"As you're the heir of the Peverell family, I suggest that you consider living at Peverell Manor, which is situated not far from Hogwarts in the Scottish Highlands," Backfish advised him. "I further suggest that you contact Headmaster Dippet at Hogwarts, who is just now looking for a successor. As far as I know, Dippet wishes to retire in the summer at the latest, and, as far as I know, Albus Dumbledore is the only candidate so far."

Harry stared at the goblin in surprise. _'It seems like a prank trying to take the headmaster's position instead of Dumbledore,'_ he thought in amusement.

"I know Professor Dippet quite well, as I'm also his account manager, so if you were interested in the position, I could talk to him on your behalf," Backfish offered, smirking.

"Yes please," Harry heard himself say without even considering the matter.

"Another point is," the goblin continued, "that you wish to take the guardianship over Tom Riddle, who is currently five years old and residing in a muggle orphanage."

"Oh yes," Harry replied, only now realising why exactly Death had sent him to this time. "I wish to adopt him and raise him as my son."

"All right," Backfish agreed, reaching for two parchments on his desk. "I've taken the liberty of preparing the documents that you need. Show them to the headmistress of the orphanage to prove that you're Tom's only living relative." Handing over a pen, he said, "This is a Portkey, which will take you to the orphanage and back to Peverell Manor, which by the way you should explore before going to fetch Tom. I also suggest bonding with the house-elves, doing some shopping and speaking with Professor Dippet before fetching the child."

"I'll do so," Harry immediately agreed, knowing that it would be important for Tom to have a well organised home right from the beginning. _'Even if we might move to Hogwarts in eight months or so,'_ he thought.

HP

Backfish finally handed Harry a ring with the instruction to always wear it. "The Gaunt ring," Harry recognised the ring that contained the Resurrection stone.

"Well, as the heir of the Peverell family, it belongs to you," Backfish informed him. "I've made it a Portkey, which will take you to Peverell Manor at any time. Nevertheless, I suggest that you turn the ring invisible for everyone but your future family."

"I will sir," Harry agreed and immediately turned the ring invisible.

When he profusely thanked the goblin and set to activate the Portkey to travel to his new home, Backfish promised to speak with Professor Dippet right away and try to make an appointment for Harry as soon as possible. "I'll send you a message," he assured him.

HP

 _'I can't wait to meet Tom and make him my son,'_ Harry thought, as he eyed the enormous office, in which he had arrived, in amazement.

Before he could do as much as leave the room, a house-elf popped up in front of him. "Good morning Master Harry, I is Heidi, the head house-elf of Peverell Manor," she introduced herself, bowing deeply.

"Hello Heidi," Harry replied, feeling somehow grateful at the thought of not being completely alone in an unknown manor. "Please don't bow, and I'm just Harry," he added.

"Harry, please follow me," Heidi replied and led him out of the office into a large entrance hall, where a dozen more house-elves appeared to be waiting for them. "Harry, do you wish me to renew the bond between us elves and the Peverell respectively now Potter family?" Heidi enquired, and Harry had the impression, as if all the elves were hanging on his lips to hear his confirmation.

"Yes please," Harry replied, smiling at the elves.

An instant later, he felt a strange sense of happiness spread through his body and realised that the elves had bonded to him.

"Thank you," he said and obediently followed Heidi into the dining room, where she insisted that he should have lunch before tending to his other business. _'Whatever that is,'_ Harry thought, as he gratefully agreed.

Only when the food appeared on the table in front of him did Harry realise how hungry he actually was. _'Oh well, I came right from the battlefield,'_ he then recalled, suddenly wondering by whom and when his dirty clothes from the fight had been replaced by clean, black robes.

He ate a little of everything, thoroughly enjoying his meal, until he felt completely full and pushed away his plate, just when a small parchment popped up out of the air hovering in front of him.

It was from Backfish. _'Mr. Potter, I have spoken with Headmaster Dippet, and he wishes to see you right away. Please note that your OWL results are properly recorded in this time and that you're on the list of the students who are going to take their NEWTs at the Ministry of Magic in June next year. Good luck for your conversation with the headmaster. Backfish._ '

Feeling very grateful towards Backfish and Fate, Harry asked Heidi to show him to his room, stating that he wished to take a quick shower before heading to Hogwarts.

He did not even take the time to inspect his new living situation, and fifteen minutes later, he was standing in front of the fireplace ready to travel to Hogwarts. ' _Thank Merlin that I can just floo to the Headmaster's office,'_ he thought, the memory of the battle that had taken place on the Hogwarts grounds being too fresh for him to want to walk up to the castle from Hogsmeade.

HP

In contrary to his past time at Hogwarts, the headmaster did not offer him a lemon drop upon his arrival. However, he greeted him in a friendly voice and with apparent interest.

"Mr. Potter, please take a seat," he offered, causing Harry to sit down and eye the well-known office with interest.

It was not so much different from what it had been before; merely the many glassy devices, which he recalled having once destroyed at the end of his fifth year, were missing from the shelves.

"I must say that I'm intrigued," Dippet spoke up. "The heir of the four Founders of Hogwarts, and I haven't met you before. You did not even attend Hogwarts." He quirked an eyebrow in silent question.

"Headmaster," Harry replied, quietly, while his thoughts went haywire. "Would you badly mind swearing me a wizard's oath to keep the secret which I'm going to reveal to you now to yourself?"

The older wizard eyed him with an expression of disbelief and suspicion, however, Harry quickly added, "I promise that I haven't done anything bad."

"Very well then." Dipped nodded and swore his oath.

"Thank you sir," Harry replied, gratefully. "The only other person knowing the truth about myself is Backfish, my account manager at Gringotts." He remained pensive for a moment, wondering how to explain, before he decided to simply show the headmaster his memory. "May I put a memory into your Pensieve, sir?" he asked, causing the older wizard to nod and motioned Harry towards the Pensive, which was the same as in his own time.

A moment later, the two wizards dipped into the memory.

"As the memory seems to have taken place on the Hogwarts grounds, I suppose that it took place either in the past or in the future," Dippet spoke up, once they emerged from the Pensieve.

"In the future sir," Harry supplied, "in June, 1997 to be exact. The evil wizard, whom you saw in the first part, was Tom Riddle, who is just now five years old residing in an orphanage. I was sent back here to kill him, which is unacceptable for me, so that I'm going to adopt him and raise him as my son."

"What are you going to do with him during the day?" Dippet enquired in a stern voice.

"I'll either hire a tutor for him, or I'll set up the Hogwarts Primary school, where he can study together with other magical children," Harry replied in determination.

"Who was the headmaster in your time?" Dippet asked with apparent curiosity.

"Dumbledore was the headmaster for a long time," Harry admitted. "He died just a few weeks before the memory took place."

"So you intend to completely change the future," Dippet said, more to himself than to Harry, letting out a deep sigh.

"Yes sir, but I definitely want to change it for the better," Harry confirmed.

"Well, your OWL results are excellent," Dippet continued, glancing at a small parchment on his desk, "and I see no reason why you couldn't take your NEWTs in the summer and then become my successor right afterwards. In fact, I wished to retire from the beginning of the new year, means from January onwards. However, as the heir of the four Founders you're of course predestined to become my successor."

"Headmaster," a wizard, whom Harry recognised as Godric Gryffindor, spoke up from his portrait. "Leave Harry to me and my colleagues for one day, and he'll be able to take his NEWTs on the day after tomorrow."

Dippet stared at the Founder in apparent surprise. "Godric, are you sure about that?" he demanded.

"Absolutely," Godric promised, grinning. Turning to Harry, he instructed him, "Go to the Founders' quarters, which you can find right behind the hospital wing. Look for the large portrait of my friends and me."

"Very well," Dippet said, smiling at the young wizard. "I won't tell Dumbledore anything yet, but please come back here in the morning of Christmas Eve. I'll contact the ministry right away and see to it that they'll allow you to take the NEWTs on the twenty-second of December and that they'll send me the results right afterwards."

 _'Then I can still go and fetch Tom on Christmas Eve,'_ Harry thought, wanting to spend Christmas with his new son. "All right sir, thank you sir," he replied, feeling very uncertain about the matter. _'How am I supposed to take my NEWTs the day after tomorrow?'_ he thought in confusion. _'I'm missing my whole seventh year.'_

HP

Realising that the headmaster had dismissed him, Harry quickly made his way to the unused corridor behind the hospital wing, where he indeed found a life-size painting of the four Founders. _'I thought I knew Hogwarts well, but I never noticed that,'_ he thought in surprise, as he stepped in front of his many times great grandparents.

"Hello," he said, hesitantly, glancing at the Founders, only to stare in shock, when the ladies leaned into their husband's arms to open a small corridor through the middle of the painting.

"Come inside, my boy," one of the ladies instructed him, and Harry hesitantly stepped through the portrait, noticing that it closed again once he arrived on the other side. "Cool," he blurted out, causing the Founders to chuckle.

"How dare you spend six years at Hogwarts and not once come to say hello let alone speak with Hogwarts?" one of the men asked, grumpily.

"Ah Salazar, leave the child in peace," one of the women chided him, before she introduced herself as Helga Hufflepuff.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know how," Harry replied, wearily.

"Well, now you know how," Godric spoke up, "and we expect from you that you keep contact to us and to the castle herself. Now, first of all, you go through the living room and into the Parlour," he continued, pointing to a corridor that seemed to lead far into the quarters. "You'll need her help if you really wish to take your NEWTs on the day after tomorrow."

"Yes sir," Harry replied and hesitantly made his way through the Founders' quarters, ignoring the many doors on both sides, before he reached the living room, which was equipped with another life-size painting of the two couples.

"The Parlour is right over there," Godric informed him, pointing to a door right opposite of the portrait. "It's the only room where you can speak with the castle without having to put your hand against her wall. Ask her to help you take your NEWTs on the day after tomorrow."

"Yes sir," Harry obeyed and slowly stepped into the Parlour, eyeing the beautifully decorated room in amazement. The ceiling was similar to the one in the Great Hall, which Harry had always admired. There was not much furniture in the room, except for a comfortable looking, flower printed wing chair right in front of the window that allowed the view onto the lake.

"Hello Hogwarts," he said, shyly, wondering if the castle was really going to talk to him and how she would be able to help him take his NEWTs, especially as they were supposed to take place at the Ministry of Magic and not within the school.


	3. Chapter 3

**Fiddling with the Past and the Future  
** **by Teddylonglong**

"Hello my boy," Hogwarts greeted Harry in a soft voice. "Now, as we don't have much time, I suggest that you make yourself comfortable in the wing chair over there, close your eyes and leave the rest to me."

Staring at the ceiling in surprise, Harry obediently sat in the chair and closed his eyes. Just an instant later, memories began to flood his mind – the memories of one thousand years of all kinds of different classes taught by various teachers.

With great interest, Harry attended his classes, even if only passively, practised spells and incantations and thoroughly enjoyed himself without becoming bored, tired or aware of his surroundings. He did not notice that it became dark and light again twice, before the memory classes ended, and he was brought back to reality.

"Hogwarts," he piped up, causing the castle to chuckle.

"Well done my boy, now you'll well be able to take your NEWTs. I suggest that you use one of the bedrooms to get refreshed and then ask a house-elf for breakfast, before you head to the Ministry of Magic for your exams," Hogwarts talked to him in her gentle voice, which Harry had heard from time to time during the last two days.

"All right Hogwarts, thank you so much for everything," Harry replied, instinctively knowing that he had so much more knowledge than he would need for the NEWTs that he was not worried about them at all.

HP

For a young wizard with the knowledge of one thousand years of Hogwarts education, the NEWTs were tremendously easy, and a couple of hours later, Harry left the ministry knowing that everything had gone well. He headed into Diagon Alley purchasing a new wardrobe for himself as well as for his soon-to-be son along with a couple of Christmas presents for Tom. Wondering if he should head to Peverell Manor or right back to Hogwarts, knowing that he could always reside in the Founders' quarters even if he did not become the headmaster for some reason, he decided to live at Hogwarts. _'Tom and I can use the summer holidays to explore the manor,'_ he thought.

He headed right back to the Founders' quarters, from where he called Heidi to enquire if she would mind staying at Hogwarts with him and his son.

"I wills be happy to stay with yous, Harry," Heidi confirmed, smiling.

"Thank you so much," Harry replied, smiling, and instructed the elf to prepare one of the two master suites for himself and one of the adjacent children's rooms for Tom.

"Would you like the master suite of Helga and Salazar or the one of Rowena and Godric?" Heidi enquired and proceeded to show both suites to her master.

"Helga's and Salazar's please," Harry finally decided, wondering if he would ever find a wife like Hermione, who had been supposed to marry him after their NEWTs. _'Too bad that Death wasn't willing to send her here with me,'_ he thought, sadly.

HP

First thing in the morning, Harry stepped into the headmaster's office, much to Professor Dippet's apparent surprise.

"Mr. Potter," he nevertheless greeted him in a friendly voice. "I only expected you later this morning."

"Well, the Founders have offered me their quarters to live in, and with the knowledge of one thousand years of classes at Hogwarts, I believe that I probably haven't failed my NEWTs," Harry replied, smiling. "I just wanted to inform you of my living arrangements. Other than that, I intend to go and fetch Tom as soon as possible."

"I'm sure that gaining a new father will be his best Christmas present ever," Dippet agreed, smiling, before he leaned into the fireplace and contacted someone at the Ministry of Magic.

Five minutes later, he held a parchment in his hand, which he – after a seemingly surprised look – handed to Harry. "Congratulations my boy. You seem to have reached more points than anyone else before in all subjects. Very well done."

"Thank you, headmaster," Harry replied, chuckling.

Dippet reached into a drawer, pulling out another parchment, which he forwarded to the boy. It was the contract of the new headmaster for Hogwarts, valid from Christmas 1932 onwards.

"That's tomorrow," Harry blurted out in shock.

"Yes my boy," Dippet confirmed. "I'd appreciate it if you gave me a week to vacant my office and living quarters."

"As I'm fine living in the Founders' quarters, I'll only need your office," Harry replied before adding, "I might need some help with the work though, as I've never thought about becoming the headmaster."

Dippet smiled. "Professor Edgecombe will be able to support you. She's our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and your deputy. I suggest that you accompany me to the Great Hall for breakfast, before you go and fetch your son, so that I can introduce you to your new colleagues."

"Sir," Harry suddenly thought to ask, already nodding his agreement, "what should I tell your colleagues about my past?"

Dippet let out a pensive sigh. "I suggest that you tell them that you've attended a small wizarding school in Ireland and only recently returned to Britain to claim your heritage, maybe even after hearing that I was looking for a successor."

"Yes, that makes sense," Harry agreed, thoughtfully. "Thank you so much sir, for everything."

"You're welcome my boy," Dippet replied, "and if you ever need advice which the Founders are unable to give, feel free to talk to my portrait, which should appear in your office by tomorrow. You can of course also contact me in person at any time."

"Thank you sir," Harry replied, feeling very much consoled by his predecessor's kind words and the options which he had presented him.

HP

He hesitantly followed the headmaster into the Great Hall, where Dippet introduced him as the new headmaster and explained that Harry was the heir of all four Founders and had received an intensive instruction by Hogwarts herself that made him competent of teaching whatever class needed an instructor. "He received the highest points possible in each of his NEWT exams," Dippet added to emphasize his earlier statement.

Harry inwardly groaned, when all professors stared at him with apparent admiration.

"I suppose that he's also the youngest headmaster of all times," an older witch, whom Dippet introduced as Professor Edgecombe, his deputy, stated, giving first him and then the headmaster a questioning look.

"I'm just seventeen," Harry lied, deciding that just a month would not make much of a difference. He quickly charmed the official parchments at the ministry, glad that he was competent in wandless magic now, to display his birthday as the 24th of December, 1915.

 _'Thank Merlin, the professors all seem nice,'_ Harry thought, resolving to replace Professor Binns at the nearest opportunity by a wizard or witch who was still alive.

HP

Right after lunch, Harry travelled to the orphanage, glad that Backfish had been so kind as to prepare a Portkey for him along with the necessary documents which he would need to adopt Tom.

The orphanage was a shabby, orange building, and Harry quickly stepped inside, where he was greeted by a friendly looking, older woman.

"Hello, I'm Harry Potter," he introduced himself, before he explained about being a distant relative to Tom Riddle. "I came to adopt Tom and raise him as my son," he added in a firm voice, preventing himself from squirming when the woman gave him a sharp look. "Here," he suddenly remembered to hand over the parchments which Backfish had diligently prepared for him.

The headmistress carefully studied the parchments, before she nodded, and her expression changed to a smile. "Everything seems all right with your papers," she commented. "Tom will be very happy to get his own family."

She then led him to a small room on the fifth floor, where the five-year-old was sitting on a lone chair engrossed in a book.

"Tom, you have a visitor," the lady told him, causing the small boy to look up in surprise.

"Hello Tom, I'm Harry Potter, and I'm a relative of yours," Harry greeted the boy, as he stepped over to him, slowly extending his hand.

The boy took his hand, staring at him in clear expectation.

"Would you like to come and live with me as my son?" Harry enquired, giving the child a gentle smile.

"I'd like that," Tom replied, before he hesitated for a moment and admitted in a barely audible voice, "but I'm a freak. The other children call me that, because I happen to do strange things."

Harry shook his head. "No Tom, you're not a freak. You're a wizard just like me," he explained, glad that the headmistress had left the room to give them some privacy, "and we're going to live in a school with many witches and wizards around."

"Really?" Tom asked with apparent enthusiasm, his eyes widening at the most welcome news. "I'm a wizard?"

"Yes really," Harry replied in amusement, glancing around the room. "Is there anything that you wish to take with you?" he asked in a soft voice.

Tom shook his head. "No sir."

Harry nodded in understanding, remembering another small boy who did not possess as much as a cuddly toy. He once again reached out for the boy's hand. "Shall we go then?" he suggested, kindly.

"Yes!" Tom cheered and, releasing Harry's hand, ran ahead downstairs, where he told the headmistress in clear excitement, "My Daddy and I are going to live in a school, where everyone is like me."

"I'm very happy for you, Tom," the older lady replied, smiling. Turning to Harry, she admitted, "I've never seen Tom so happy before."

"I'm glad to hear that," Harry said and quickly gave her the requested signatures, before he led the boy out of the orphanage. He toyed with the thought of changing the Portkey to take them back to Hogwarts, however, decided against it. _'I'll just apparate us, so that we can walk up to the castle instead of just taking Tom inside. He'll surely love the sight,'_ he thought.

"Tom, we're going to apparate, which is a magical means of travel," he warned the child. "You must hold on to me tightly."

"All right," Tom replied, seemingly happy, holding Harry's hand in a firm grip.

HP

Two minutes later, the two wizards were walking over the snowy Hogwarts grounds, and Harry gave Tom a quick introduction about Hogwarts.

"We're going to live in a castle?" Tom asked, incredulously, causing Harry to smile.

"Yes Tom," he replied, as he opened the large entrance doors and led Tom right into the Founders' quarters. "This is your room," he informed him, pointing to the door of the small children's room that was adjacent to his own bedroom.

"Excuse me, sir, but what am I supposed to call you?" Tom suddenly asked. "Are you really going to be my father?"

"Yes, and you may call me Father or Dad if you don't mind," Harry replied.

Tom grinned broadly. "I'd like that… Dad," he replied, seemingly happy with his new situation.

HP

During the remaining hours of the afternoon, Harry showed Tom Hogwarts, before they returned to the Founders' quarters, where Harry completed the parchments for the adoption.

To Tom's surprise, the parchment rolled up itself, as soon as Harry had signed it, and vanished into thin air.

"What happened?" he asked, wide-eyed, causing Harry to chuckle.

"Don't worry, Tom. It returned to the Ministry of Magic just by itself. I'm sure that we'll get a confirmation soon," he explained, patiently. Glancing at his wrist watch, he added, "It's almost time for dinner, so I suggest that we head to the Great Hall to introduce you to the teachers."

HP

Harry inwardly sighed in relief, when everyone automatically began to fawn over Tom, and he was out of the spotlight for once. He quietly let his eyes wander along the table eyeing each of the professors. There were only two, whom he could immediately connect to Hogwarts employees in the future. One was Cassandra Trelawney, the Divination professor. _'Probably the grandmother, oh well, considering her age maybe rather the great grandmother of Sybil Trelawney,'_ he thought. The other was Theresa Pomfrey, most likely Poppy Pomfrey's grandmother. She was the Healer just like her grandmother would be in the future.

There was one professor, however, whom Harry could not recall having seen at lunchtime. She had to be about forty or fifty, had long black hair and black eyes. _'I wonder who she is. She looks a bit like Snape,'_ Harry mused.

Apparently, the teacher had caught his gaze and introduced herself as Marina Potter. "I guess that we must somehow be related," she said, giving him a questioning look.

"Probably yes," Harry agreed and admitted that he was not overly firm with the family tree, as he had spent all his life in Ireland and only recently moved back to Scotland to take residence at Hogwarts.

"Well, I'm a cousin of Henri Potter, in case you have heard of him," Marina informed him, causing Harry to nod in understanding.

Suddenly realising that Tom seemed on the verge of falling asleep, Harry hurriedly excused himself and his son and returned to the Founders' quarters. However, from that Christmas Eve dinner onwards, Marina became Harry's good friend and advisor, and they made it a habit to sit next to each other at the high table.

 _'Maybe I should tell her the truth about myself,'_ Harry mused, when he went to bed that night after making sure that Tom was fast asleep in the room next to him, the stuffed dragon which Harry had conjured for him earlier safely tucked under his left arm. _'I really need one ally, and Dippet isn't going to remain at Hogwarts much longer.'_

 _tbc..._

 _Thank you very much for your kind reviews for the first two chapters!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Fiddling with the Past and the Future  
** **by Teddylonglong**

On Christmas morning, Harry led Tom into the Great Hall, having Heidi instructed to put Tom's Christmas presents under the large tree in the Great Hall.

Tom received books from most of the teachers as well as a wooden toy set of the Hogwarts Express from Harry among a couple of other toys.

After breakfast, three Gryffindor students, who had remained at the castle over the holidays, invited Tom to join them in their common room and play with the Hogwarts Express together, and Harry happily agreed, when Tom cast him a questioning look.

"Tom, if you need me or just want anything, just call Heidi at any time, and she'll help you," Harry instructed his son.

"All right Daddy, thank you," Tom replied in obvious excitement at the prospect of playing with the students.

 _'So far, everything went well,'_ Harry thought, contentedly, as he accompanied Professor Dippet to the headmaster's office, which would be his own from that point onwards.

Harry and his predecessor spent the whole morning talking about unfinished work, especially concerning some negotiations with the Ministry of Magic about this and that, and the former headmaster advised Harry to make it clear from the beginning that as the heir of the four Founders and as such the owner of Hogwarts, he would not tolerate any interference from the ministry considering the matters of the school.

"Thank you so much for the advice," Harry replied, gratefully, resolving to tell the ministry off as soon as he had the opportunity.

"Is there a reason why a ghost is teaching History of Magic?" he remembered to ask and admitted that Professor Binns had still been on the position in his own time, and that many students had used the class to do their homework for other classes or take a nap.

"I don't know since when he has been on that position," Dippet replied, pensively, "but I don't mind if you want to replace him."

Harry nodded in relief. "My only problem is that I don't know anyone in this time," he said, sighing. "Is there anyone whom you could recommend for the position?"

"You could ask Henri Potter, for example," Dippet suggested. "He has finished Hogwarts about three years ago and has right afterwards married. The couple has a small son, Fleamont, but since the History of Magic professor isn't necessarily requested to reside at Hogwarts, this shouldn't be a problem. Shall I ask him and introduce him to you at the same time? He should be your great grandfather if I'm not mistaken."

"I think so," Harry agreed, "and yes please. Anyone who has finished their NEWTs should be better than that ghost. On the other hand," he continued, pensively, "maybe we should ask if there was a goblin or an elf willing to teach that class. It would assure a better relationship towards, for example, the goblins."

Dippet remained thoughtful for a moment, before he replied, "That's a surprising but nevertheless very good suggestion, and it would surely pull the goblins firmly onto our side in the case of a war. Considering the current situation in the muggle world, not only in Britain, but in the whole of Europe, this seems like a valuable plan."

"Very well, I'll ask Backfish then if he has an idea," Harry decided, resolving to make a small trip to Diagon Alley together with Tom during the next few days.

HP

Feeling very grateful towards Fate, who had seen to it that it was in the possession of several vaults, most of them containing millions of Galleons, Harry made it his first important task to order the building of two new houses on the far end of the Hogwarts grounds, one of them supposed to house the Hogwarts Primary School and the second with the intention of making it an orphanage for magical children.

"We could use half of the building as a home for retired teachers," Marina suggested, when she visited him in the Founders' quarters in the evening of Christmas Day, when Tom had already retired to bed.

"Yes, that's a good idea," Harry agreed, thinking that it would have been a great asset for older teachers like McGonagall, Pomfrey or Dumbledore in his old future.

HP

The week of holidays passed in a blur for Harry, who was trying to familiarize himself with the tasks of a headmaster, pondering the changes that he wanted to make from his experience of the future and trying to be a good father to his five-year-old son.

Tom seemed outright happy. The few students, who had remained at Hogwarts during the holidays, often played with the cute boy. They even took him to their houses or taught him how to fly on a broomstick. Tom thoroughly enjoyed himself, and when the students had to work on their assignments, he made himself comfortable on a sofa in the headmaster's office reading one of the many books which he had received for Christmas.

The next big event after Christmas was Tom's sixth birthday, and, knowing that Harry was very busy with his new tasks, Theresa Pomfrey and Marina Potter worked together organising a huge birthday party in the Great Hall, for which they turned the Great Hall into a huge playground.

HP

By the time the students returned to Hogwarts at the beginning of January, they received the news that they did not only have a new headmaster, but also a new History of Magic professor, and that two new buildings were being constructed on the Hogwarts grounds.

However, there was more to the changes than it seemed at the first glance. The third Saturday in January was the next date for a Hogsmeade visit for the older students, and on Friday evening during dinner, Harry called for everyone's attention.

"During the Hogsmeade visit tomorrow, all first and second years are requested to participate in a rally, which will take place here within the castle," he announced, much to the pleasure of the younger students. However, when he continued and instructed the students to gather in the Great Hall after breakfast in small groups of four, containing one student from each house, most of the students stared at him in shock.

"One from each house?" someone shouted, incredulously.

"Yes," Harry simply replied. "You're all Hogwarts students, and I want all of you to work together independently of your affiliation to one of the houses. There will be prizes for the winning groups…"

"What kind of prizes?" someone interrupted him.

Harry shrugged. "The first prize will be a 10 Galleon voucher from Honeydukes, but there will other prizes, so I suggest that you do your best," he replied, smirking, before he dismissed the students.

HP

Later the same evening, Harry was sitting in his office, which he – with Hogwarts assistance of course – had now connected right to the living room of the Founders' quarters, having tea together with Professors Edgecombe, Potter, Pomfrey and Blackfoot, who was the new goblin teacher for History of Magic.

All of a sudden, a bright flash lit the office, causing everyone to blink in surprise.

"Fawkes?" Harry enquired, staring at the fire phoenix that was perched on the shelf next to the Sorting Hat in disbelief.

Eagerly bobbing his head, the phoenix jumped down onto the desk and from there right onto Harry's right arm.

#Yes, I'm Fawkes, and I've decided to become your familiar,# the phoenix trilled, causing everyone to stare at the couple in surprise and amazement.

"This is Fawkes, and he's just bonded with me," Harry translated for his colleagues, while his mind screamed, _'Why? I thought that Fawkes was Dumbledore's phoenix.'_

"Heidi," he called his house-elf and instructed her to purchase a perch for his new phoenix familiar as well as phoenix treats and what else Fawkes would need.

"Of course Master Harry," Heidi replied, staring at the beautiful bird in clear amazement.

His colleagues seemed to share the sentiment and spent the following ten minutes admiring the phoenix.

"Harry, you're extremely lucky," Marina Potter told him, smiling.

"I know, and I appreciate it very much," Harry replied, feeling extremely happy to have Fawkes as his own familiar. In the past, he had met the phoenix in Dumbledore's office a few times, and – unbeknownst to the headmaster of that time – he had been able to converse with the phoenix, probably because he was going to be a phoenix Animagus, provided that he managed the Animagus transformation at all. So far, he was only able to change both arms into light blue wings, as he did not really have the time let alone the leisure to practise during the war with Voldemort.

HP

Tom saw Fawkes in the morning, when he came out of his room, as the phoenix had followed Harry into the Founders' quarters and made himself comfortable on a chair opposite of the Founders' portrait spending hours chatting with Godric during the night.

"Daddy, there's a bird," he blurted out in surprise.

"Tom," Harry replied, grinning, as he left his own room, "this is Fawkes, my familiar. He's a fire phoenix."

"He was already my phoenix one thousand years ago," Godric spoke up from his portrait.

"Wow, that's cool," Tom replied, staring at the bird in awe.

"It is," Harry agreed, "however, it's quite uncool if we're late for breakfast, so I think we should leave."

"Daddy," Tom spoke up, when they strode towards the Great Hall, "may I sit at the Gryffindor table this morning? John and Fergal have invited me to join them for breakfast."

"Tom," Harry replied, as he stopped walking and turned around to face his son, "as long as you haven't been sorted into one of the houses, you may sit where you wish. Any of the house tables are all right as well as the head table. You don't have to ask for permission."

"Thanks Daddy," Tom blurted out and ran ahead the short distance before he reached the entrance hall.

By the time Harry entered the Great Hall, the six-year-old was already sitting between the Gryffindor students completely absorbed in a conversation.

 _'Thank Merlin,'_ Harry thought, feeling very happy that Tom seemed to get along so well. _'I just hope that he'll like the Primary school. I really need to begin searching for a teacher. We probably need at least two teachers for the children anyway.'_

HP

Tom thoroughly enjoyed himself. The students were all very nice to him and did not miss an opportunity to tell him about magic, their classes and the magical world in general. Only when everyone was in class did Tom wish that he had a friend of his own age.

 _'Oh well, from September onwards, I'm going to attend the primary school,'_ he consoled himself, feeling very grateful towards Harry for rescuing from the orphanage and bringing him to Hogwarts.

HP

However, it was much sooner than expected that he managed to find a friend who was six years old just like himself. It was on the first day of the summer holidays that a girl accompanied Theresa Pomfrey to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Hello Tom," the girl addressed Tom, smiling brightly. "I'm Poppy. It's great to have you here, so we can explore the castle together. I am here with my Granny Theresa over the summer. She is the Mediwitch here."

"Hello Poppy," Tom replied, giving the girl an assessing look.

From that point onwards, the two six-year-olds dove into an eager conversation, completely tuning out the adults.

Harry could not help inwardly grinning. _'What a good timing,'_ he thought, feeling extremely satisfied that Tom's first friend would be none other than Poppy Pomfrey, whom he knew to be an extremely nice witch in the future.

"Granny, can I take Tom to explore the castle?" Poppy begged her grandmother, when everyone rose from their seats.

Theresa gave the children a stern look. "Yes, you may, but you have to remember the rules, Poppy. Stay inside or at least on the grounds."

"Will do," Poppy replied, cheering. "Let's go," she said to her new friend.

HP

During the two months of holidays, Tom and Poppy spent much time helping Harry prepare the classrooms in the primary school and helping Poppy's grandmother with her preparations for the new school year. Before they knew it, the holidays came to an end.

"I hope the new kids are all as nice as Poppy," Tom said in the evening before the beginning of the school year, when Harry came to his room to tuck him in like he did every evening.

"I hope so, too," Harry agreed, "but remember, at least they won't stay at Hogwarts but return home every afternoon," Harry said soothingly. "If you don't like them, you only have to attend classes with them. After class, you can choose with whom you want to play during the afternoons."

"Yes, that's true," Tom agreed, smiling. "Good night Dad, and thanks for bringing me here."

"You're welcome son," Harry returned the smile, before he noxed the torches and returned to his office, where some of his colleagues would soon assemble to have tea with him.

HP

Harry even felt excited for his son, when he followed Margaret Black, the teacher for the primary school, and Theresa Pomfrey out onto the grounds together with Tom and Poppy.

"I'm going to live at Hogwarts with my granny so I don't have to return home every afternoon," Poppy told her friend, who smiled happily.

"Oh Poppy, that's great. We've had so much fun together during the holidays, and it would be sad to only see you during classes," Tom replied, smiling.

Harry inwardly smiled, feeling very relieved at the friendship between Tom and Poppy. _'I just hope that he's going to get on with the other pupils as well,'_ he thought, when he returned to the headmaster's office after officially opening the primary school. Nevertheless, he could not prevent his thoughts from returning to the small classroom, where a group of twelve six-year-olds were having their first class together.

He almost sighed in relief, when Tom entered his office after his last afternoon class, Poppy right on his heels.

"How was it?" he asked, smiling at the eager six-year-olds.

"Great," Poppy reassured him, nodding her head in confirmation, before Tom blurted out, "That girl's an absolute bitch."

 _Thank you so much for your kind reviews for the last chapter. Please let me know what you think. I am still wondering with whom I should pair Harry. Any ideas? :-)_


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